1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toothbrush and packaging therefor which, in one embodiment, also contains powdered mouthwash and which can function as a container for mixing such powdered mouthwash with water and using the resultant liquid mouthwash.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multitude of patents exist for toothbrushes.
Many of these, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,769,553 and 6,039,050, provide for supplying toothpaste to the bristles through an aperture in the base of the head of the toothbrush, upon which base the bristles are mounted. The present inventor is, however, unaware of any such patent wherein the movement of the toothpaste results from a plunger having folding flaps which fit into one or more channels in a chamber within which the plunger is mounted to preclude removal of the plunger from such chamber. Similarly, the present inventor knows of no patent for a toothbrush where the toothpaste is located within a pliable pouch attached to a second side of the base of the head in such a manner as to preclude air from contacting the toothpaste and to permit the toothpaste, when pressure is applied to the pliable pouch, to flow through the apertures in such base. Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,553 has the toothpaste in a pouch that is pierced immediately prior to the toothpaste being forced toward the apertures in the base of the head of the toothbrush and although one embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,050 has a plastic sheet that seals only the end of the chamber containing toothpaste from which a handle is inserted to force toothpaste from the head, neither of these patents covers the aperture or apertures from which the toothpaste reaches the bristles with a thin membrane to keep the toothpaste fresh.
Several patents, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,481; 5,769,553; and 5,893,378 also have dental floss associated with the handle of a toothbrush. Moreover, in the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,184,719; 5,365,956; and 6,039,050, dental floss is attached to the toothbrush so that such dental floss spans a curved portion of the toothbrush.
Also, a number of patents, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,481; 5,769,553; and 5,893,376, have embodiments which include a liquid mouthwash contained within some portion of a toothbrush. As far as the present inventor is aware, however, none of these patents apply to the use of powdered mouthwash.
The head and toothpaste-coated bristles of the toothbrush in U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,719 are vacuum sealed within a package, but no provision is made to store the toothpaste in conjunction with the toothbrush prior to the application of such toothpaste to the bristles.
Packages which contain a toothbrush and toothpaste are covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,062,233 and 6,135,274. The package of the latter patent has a inner container which can be ruptured to place the toothpaste upon the bristles of the toothbrush. The packages of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,530,129 and 6,105,586 also contain dental floss. None of these packages, however, contain mouthwash, especially a powdered mouthwash. And none of these packages have a portion that may be used to mix the powdered mouthwash with water and to facilitate the use of such mixed mouthwash.
The toothbrush of the present invention supplies toothpaste to the bristles through one or more apertures in the base of the head of the toothbrush, upon a first side of which base the bristles are mounted.
In a first embodiment, this is the result of a plunger being pushed into a chamber which communicates with the one or more apertures. The plunger has one or more folding flaps which fit into one or more channels in a chamber within which the plunger is mounted to preclude removal of the plunger from such chamber. The head of the toothbrush is preferably sealed within a removable vacuum-sealed wrapper in order to keep the toothpaste fresh and prevent the plunger from being pushed farther into the chamber until it is desired to use the toothbrush.
In a second embodiment, a pliable pouch is attached to a second side of the base of the head in such a manner as to preclude air from contacting the toothpaste and to permit the toothpaste, when pressure is applied to the pliable pouch, to flow from such pouch through the one or more apertures in the base. A thin membrane that will rupture as the toothpaste is forced toward the apertures preferably covers the aperture or apertures from which the toothpaste reaches the bristles in order to keep the toothpaste fresh.
The packaging for the toothbrush has a first end and a second end.
The second end of the packaging is removably attached to the remained of the packaging and is constructed to contain powdered mouthwash preferably but, optionally, gum, a breath mint, or a quantity of water.
The first end of the packaging is built to enable the powdered mouthwash to be mixed with water in such first end and then to be utilized.